"When it’s steamboat time, you steam:" The Influence of 19th Century Steamships in the Gulf of Mexico

Summary

Driven by technological advances of the industrial revolution and the introduction of the steamboat in the Gulf of Mexico, the economy of the southern United States flourished. When Charles Morgan brought his first steamboat to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the stage was set for a commercial venture that helped transform the region. By the mid-19th century steamships served as the primary vehicle to transport agricultural products from the Mississippi River Valley to markets along the east coast and Europe. Steam packets were also used as mail carriers, passenger and troop transports, and for tourism. The remains of three Morgan vessels, New York, Mary, and Josephine, have been documented along the Gulf coast. These vessels mark the changing technology of steam navigation through the mid-19th century.